Automatic firearm with two selectively employable cartridge feed devices

ABSTRACT

An automatic firearm, such as a rifle, is provided with a forwardly and rearwardly movable breech block and an upper and a lower employable cartridge feed device for selectively firing different types of cartridges, such as blasting cartridges and armor-piercing cartridges. The cartridges in both feed devices are fed in the directional sense and the drive and changeover elements of the two cartridge feed devices are arranged between the two feed housings.

United States Patent Inventor Gerhard Hupp Oberndorf, Neckar, GermanyAppl. No. 822,514 Filed May 7, 1969 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 AssigneeMauser-Werke A. G.

Oberndorf/Neckar, Germany Priority May 10, 1968 Germany P 17 03 379.3

AUTOMATIC FIREARM WITH TWO SELECTIVELY EMPLOYABLE CARTRIDGE FEED [50]Field of Search 89/33, 33 SF, 33.14, 33.2

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,455,204 7/1969 Stoner89/33 SF Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt AssistantExaminer-Stephen C. Bentley Attorney-Singer, Stern & Carlberg ABSTRACT:An automatic firearm, such as a rifle, is provided with a forwardly andrearwardly movable breech block and an upper and a lower employablecartridge feed device for selec- DEVICES 4 tively firing different typesof cartridges, such as blasting car- 4 3 Drawing tridges andarmor-piercing cartridges. The cartridges in both US. Cl 89/33 SF, feeddevices are fed in the directional sense and the drive and 89/33 Cchangeover elements of the two cartridge feed devices are ar- Int. ClF4ld 9/02 ranged between the two feed housings.

18 16 16 b 19a 17 l 22 C .l 2 c 20 11 T i 1g 2 I I 19 b PATENTEU um 12197: v 61 1 I 86 8 sum 2 UF 2 11. 14f 14 11. 14b Me 14a n gg INVENTOR.@9750 r0[ 5x4 w m AUTOMATIC FIREARM WITH TWO SELECTIVELY EMPLOYABLECARTRIDGE FEED DEVICES The invention relates to an automatic firearmprovided with a breech block movable forward and rearward in the axialdirection of the weapon and with two changeover cartridge feed devices,particularly belt feed devices, for selectively feeding different typesof cartridges, for instance, blasting cartridges and armor-piercingcartridges. These cartridge feed devices are arranged on opposite sidesof the housing of the weapon and the cartridges are fed to the same inthe same directional sense.

Conventional firearms of this type require much space in the regionwhere the cartridge feed device is arranged and are structurallycomplicated.

It is an object of the invention to provide a firearm of the mentionedtype in which the dimensions of the weapon in the region of thecartridge feed device are reduced to a minimum. In order to attain thisobject the present invention provides that the driving and shiftingelements of the cartridge devices are disposed between the feed housingsfor the cartridges.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the cartridge feed devicesone above the other. When this is done, a very flat constructed weaponis produced, which is of importance when the space conditions arelimited, as is usually the case in airplanes and armed vehicles.

Still another object of the invention is to arrange the closure springof the weapon outside of the path of movement of the breech blockbetween the belt housings whereby this spring extends over a closurespring sleeve at the breech block, said sleeve forming the drive memberfor the cartridge feed.

According to a further object of the invention a projection, forinstance, a projection on the closure spring sleeve engaging the breechblock enters a shift slot arranged in a shift sleeve rotatably mountedin the housing. This shift sleeve is arranged concentrically to theclosure spring sleeve and drives by means of gear teeth a shift leverfor the cartridge feed slide.

The drive of the shift lever for the cartridge feed slide may beeffected by spur teeth arranged on the shifting sleeve which mesh with aspur gear coaxially arranged on a bevel gear, which in turn engagescorresponding gear teeth on the shifting lever.

It is another object of the invention to provide the shift lever with ashift bolt which is slidable parallel to its pivot axis, whereby thisshift bolt is controlled by a munition selector lever in such a mannerthat it engages in one of the shift grooves of the two cartridge feedslides, which in the locked position of the breech block are arrangedone above the other.

In accordance with still another object of the invention the shift boltis provided with a recess into which enters the forward end of themunition selector lever when the breech block enters its lockedposition.

Additional objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdetailed description of an example of the invention, the descriptionreferring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a partial horizontal longitudinal sectional view of aweapon constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line IIII of FIG. I, and

FIG. 3 is a partial view of the weapon viewed from the munition feedside (in the direction of the arrow A" in FIG. 2.).

Referring to the drawings, the housing of the weapon has insertedtherein a barrel 11. The breech block 12 of the weapon is movablymounted along the axial direction of the weapon.

At the upper side and at the lower side of the housing of the weapon arearranged each a cartridge feed device 14 and 15 which, preferably, asillustrated in the drawings, are constructed as belt feed devices. Thesecartridge feed devices are kept so flat that their height corresponds tothe thickness of the tubular belts 14a and 15a containing thecartridges.

In order to obtain a very flat construction of the weapon, all parts forthe belt feed are disposed between the cartridge feed housings 14b and15b. The feed slide 14d provided with shift pawls is arranged in guidesI4e disposed at the lower wall of the feed housing 14b, while the otherfeed slide 15d provided with shift pawls 15c is guided in guide 15cprovided at the upper wall of the feed housing 15b. The feed slides 14dand 15d are provided with shift grooves 14f and 15f with which ashiftable element of a shift lever 16 may be brought into engagement.The shift lever l6'is pivotally mounted about a pin 16a.

The shift lever 16 is provided with gear teeth, which engage a bevelgear 17 attached coaxially to a spur gear 18. The spur gear 18 engagesgear teeth 19a on a shift sleeve 19, which is rotatively mounted in thehousing 10 of the weapon. This shift sleeve 19 is provided with a curvedshift slot 19b into which extends a projection 20a of a closure springsleeve 20, which is arranged laterally of the breech block 12 and ismovable in longitudinal direction of the weapon. The projection 20aengages the breech block 12, and the closure spring sleeve 20 is subjectto the action of the closure spring 21.

The shiftable member of the shift lever 16 consists of a shift bolt 16b,which is slidable parallel to the pivot axis of the lever 16. This shiftbolt 16!; is provided with a recess 16c in which engages a munitionselector lever 22 in the rear locked position of the breech block 12.This munition selector lever 22 is rotatably mounted on a pin 23 and isprovided with operating knob 22a.

The operation of the cartridge feed device is as follows:

It is assumed that the munition selector lever 22 is so adjusted thatthe shift bolt 16b of the lever 16 engages the groove 15f of the feedslide 15d of the lower cartridge feed device. When the trigger of theweapon is operated, the cartridges from the lower feed device 15 arebeing fired.

When the locking member of the trigger (not shown in the drawing)reaches its locked position, the breech block 12 is locked in its rearposition. In this position, the shift grooves 14f and 15f of the feedslides 14d and 15d are disposed one above the other.

If it is desired to fire the cartridges in the upper feed device 14 thenthe rear end of the munition selector a lever 22 is pivotally moveddownwardly. This has the result that the shift bolt 1% is lifted fromthe groove 15f of the lower feed slide 15d and is inserted into thegroove 14f of the upper feed slide 14d so that now the upper cartridgefeed device 14 becomes operative.

What I claim is:

1. In an automatic firearm, a housing, an axially reciprocable breechblock in said housing, two cartridge feed devices for selectivelyfeeding different types of cartridges arranged on opposite sides of saidhousings, a closure spring acting on a closure sleeve which isoperatively connected with said breech block, which forms the drivemember for the cartridge feed, said closure spring being disposedoutside of the path of movement of said breech block between said feedhousing, a shift sleeve arranged rotatably in said housing andconcentrically to said closure sleeve and provided with a shift slot, aprojection on said closure sleeve extending through said shift slot, andgear teeth on said shift sleeve which engage gear teeth on a shift leverwhich operates cartridge feed slides of said cartridge feed devices.

2. A firearm according to claim 1, in which said shift sleeve isprovided with spur teeth which engage a spur gear having coaxiallyformed thereon a bevel gear which meshes with corresponding gear teethon a shift lever for the cartridge feed slides.

3. A firearm according to claim 1 including a munition selector leverand a pivotally mounted shift lever for said cartridge feed slides, saidshift lever being provided with a shift bolt which is slidable parallelto the pivot axis of said shift lever, said shift bolt being controlledby said munition selector member in such a manner that it engages one oftwo shift grooves provided in each of said cartridge feed slides whichin member in such a manner that it engages one of two shift groovesprovided in each of said cartridge feed slides which in the locked endposition of said breech block are arranged one above the other, saidshift bolt being provided with a recess in which engages the front endof said munition selector lever when the breech block reaches its lockedend position.

1. In an automatic firearm, a housing, an axially reciprocable breechblock in said housing, two cartridge feed devices for selectivelyfeeding different types of cartridges arranged on opposite sides of saidhOusings, a closure spring acting on a closure sleeve which isoperatively connected with said breech block, which forms the drivemember for the cartridge feed, said closure spring being disposedoutside of the path of movement of said breech block between said feedhousing, a shift sleeve arranged rotatably in said housing andconcentrically to said closure sleeve and provided with a shift slot, aprojection on said closure sleeve extending through said shift slot, andgear teeth on said shift sleeve which engage gear teeth on a shift leverwhich operates cartridge feed slides of said cartridge feed devices. 2.A firearm according to claim 1, in which said shift sleeve is providedwith spur teeth which engage a spur gear having coaxially formed thereona bevel gear which meshes with corresponding gear teeth on a shift leverfor the cartridge feed slides.
 3. A firearm according to claim 1including a munition selector lever and a pivotally mounted shift leverfor said cartridge feed slides, said shift lever being provided with ashift bolt which is slidable parallel to the pivot axis of said shiftlever, said shift bolt being controlled by said munition selector memberin such a manner that it engages one of two shift grooves provided ineach of said cartridge feed slides which in the locked end position ofsaid breech block are arranged one above the other.
 4. A firearmaccording to claim 1 including a munition selector lever and a pivotallymounted shift lever for said cartridge feed slides, said shift leverbeing provided with a shift bolt which is slidable parallel to the pivotaxis of said shift lever, said shift bolt being controlled by saidmunition selector member in such a manner that it engages one of twoshift grooves provided in each of said cartridge feed slides which inthe locked end position of said breech block are arranged one above theother, said shift bolt being provided with a recess in which engages thefront end of said munition selector lever when the breech block reachesits locked end position.